Sunday, April 03, 2011

Yes, number one in Tests, first T20 world-cup, but deep down every Indian wanted this one, for 28 years.
And when it came, it came in some style, with Indian captain triggering the celebrations by blasting one into the crowd.

And the celebration in streets was like nothing we had ever seen before!

As we hit the road at midnight, opening highlight was an uncle parading his entire family, standing through sun roof & windows on his SUV, complete with flags & tricolor on face & screams of joy!
And then while filling petrol, we started realizing the magnitude of it all.
Long queue in the petrol bunk but no one in a hurry, people screaming slogans, loud music from a car & everyone swaying to it, party in a petrol bunk!
Celebrating all along with people on road as we neared the MG Road Bangalore, it was an unbelievable sight.
People riding on the top of vehicles, in the boot, sitting on windows, hi-fives, chanting 'Indiaa India', honking the same tune, waving flags, everyone expressing the overwhelming happiness in their own way. Each one seemed to have just realized a childhood dream.

Banners & bats, songs & dance, young & old, men & women...highlight was all of them taking turns to use the barricades in the road side as musical instrument & breaking into a impromptu jig with strangers, hugging each other and then moving ahead!
It was surreal.
Everyone had turned into a kid who just got his or her favorite toy.
Even with all mayhem, with policemen quietly watching, things were so great and there was so much happiness in air that even MG would have nodded from up above.

In the most successful ICC event ever (Inaugurated by Sehwag with a Four, ended by Dhoni with a Six!), India's journey had some awesome moments.
A tie with the entertainers of the world-cup England.
A ferocious opening assault from the big two, Sachin & Sehwag on the great SA pacers before the mind melt in the end.
And raising the game to different level in knockout stages especially with fielding from a team never known for it's athleticism!

In the quarterfinal, magnificence of Ponting & Brett Lee's fight. And then Yuvraj Singh turning a king again, slaying the demons of 2003.

The high voltage, semi-final with Pakistan,so spectacular that it made all the pre match hype look like, understatement!
A team effort to the core, with even much maligned Nehra & Munaf rising to the occasion with Bhajji's timely strike and Zaheer Khan leading the pack with sage like calm to overcome Pak with ruthless efficiency. Sehwag cameo at the top was the highlight.
Well, not to forget Afridi's dignity in defeat.

Every time, the tough time came, a hero rose for India, like we had read in fables!
And in the match worthy of final, where Mahela's class shone though, chasing 274, at 31/2 we really needed a hero.
And it was gutsy Gambir who put his hands up first looking possessed.
And when Kohli departed, out came the out of form, short of runs, Indian captain (the man surely has balls), ahead of Yuvraj, as if to announce 'I am here to take the bull by horns'.
And boy, he then went on to play what they call a 'Captains Innings'. Period.

Next day as it all started sinking in, it was stirring to see the footages of Anil Kumble being handed over the cup by Sachin, for we need to salute him & the fine men like Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman & Srinath, for being a part of the team which laid the foundation to this day.

When the man who carried the hopes of more than billion hearts for more than two decades, held his most coveted trophy aloft, every Indian in the world would have been smiling, content, proud & misty-eyed.

They say, life is about moments that take your breath away.
All the above, as I witnessed magic happen, is stored in my memory forever as a little private video.
I am sure everyone has his or her own :-)